January 2005

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German gas equipment maker wins recognition for automotive hydrogen fueling nozzle: The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) has named a relatively unknown maker of gas equipment, couplers and leak detection equipment, WEH GmbH Gas Technology, as the recipient of its incentive award for demonstrating that the company’s hydrogen fuel nozzle meets industry performance standards. WEH, of Illertissen, southeast of Stuttgart, is apparently the first company worldwide to be recognized for this achievement. “For fuel cell vehicles to operate successfully in fleet demonstration programs and to move towards full commercial development, it is critical that key components of the fueling infrastructure being in place,” said Catherine Dunwoody, CaFCP’s executive director. “The dispensing nozzle is literally the point where the vehicle meets the fuel.” CaFCP announced the incentive program in June, 2004. It provides 50% of the cost up to $25,000 for third-party testing to demonstrate performance to the design standard SAE J2600, Compressed Hydrogen Surface Vehicle Refueling Connection Devices. WEH’s type TK16 nozzle was tested by TÜV, the internationally recognized German technical testing service. Sources/Contacts: CaFCP, Robert Hayden, 415/381-7225, www.cafcp.org; WEH, www.weh.com.